Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Where can I sign up for this? A: Right here.Q: How does it work again?A: You will sign up by December 9th, and start creating your own fictional family Christmas letter. After registration closes, you will be emailed your 6 anonymous street addresses. By December 15th, you will send one copy of your letter to each of the six addresses. You will receive 5 unique Christmas letters from other participants who were given your address. Q: What info of mine will be shared with the other participants?A: We will only share the actual street addresses, and will not reveal the names of anyone who lives there. You will not be required to include a return address on the envelopes you send.

Q: Why am I sending 6 letters but only receiving 5?A: Everyone one will be sending one letter to our home address, so that it can be scanned and shared on the site once the project is over.

Q: Does it cost anything to take part in the swap?A: No, but you will need to supply your own stamps (46 cents x 6 = $2.76) and envelopes ($1 a box at any dollar store).

Q: Can I include family pictures?A: That would be phenomenal, especially if they include pets, sweaters, or pets in sweaters.Q: What else can I put in my letter?A: Anything goes! We just want you to be creative and have a good time. As long as it takes the general shape of a family Christmas letter, you are doing it right. You can create a fictional family, but are welcome to use your own if you'd like. Participants are encouraged to use graphics, design, or photos, but they are not required. Tone is completely up to you: funny, weird, somber, unhinged, satirical, etc. For more ideas, see the Inspiration Page.

Q: Is there anything I should not put in my letter?A: The content is up to you, so adult themes and language are your call. We would hope that sincere hate speech, bigotry, sexism, etc. find no place in your letter. It should also go without saying that mailing food, fluids, weapons, or illegal substances of any kind is a horrible idea.

Q: Will the letters I receive be family friendly?A: We cannot guarantee this, as the content of each letter is up to the writer, and there is no censorship or supervision on our part. Humor is subjective, and what might crack one of us up could make another upset. If you find yourself offended, disturbed, or otherwise bothered by anything you receive, you are welcome to put it in the trash and never look at it again.

Q: What happens if I sign up, but never get around to sending out my letter?A: Besides the awful self-loathing you will feel due to selfishly taking and not giving, you will be prominently listed on our Hall of Shame page once the project is over.

Q: You said that you will scan and display all of the letters on this site once the project ends. What if I don't want that?A: All you have to do is let us know, and your letter will not be included in the post-project wrap up.

Q: Why are you doing this?A: Because it is fun to get weird mail, and gives us an excuse to write and read some silly stuff.

Q: Will this work?A: It's up to you. We are relying on everyone to honor his or her commitment. This is an experiment. It is quite possible that it will fail, but we hope not.

Q: How did it go last year?A: Surprisingly well. We had over 40 participants, and only three losers who landed in the Hall of Shame for shirking their commitment. The letters were creative, hilarious, and unique.

Q: What if I have questions that are not answered on this site?A: You can contact us here for a speedy response.